Employer demanded a signed written authorization to get medical info

[lransom31]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TEXAS


My employer has repeatly emailed me forms to sign to give HR authorization to call my doctor and inquire about appointment dates. I received notice that I was eligible under my own serious health & sent the forms to support my request. My doctor filled out the forms sent with the notice of my medical condition and provided doctor excuses to excuse me from absences and doctor visits for the entire period. After managers & HR found out about another medical condition after I returned from that leave HR started harassing me about the doctor's excuses wordage. The doctor replied with another one stating that I was unable to work and excuse me from absences and doctor visits during the entire time frame but HR keep sending notices about confirming two appointments. Is this legal?

In addition when the HR manager sent these emails he also copied my manager, the senior analyst in the department and another HR employee which all stated they had nothing to do with FMLA leave, requests or my individual case. I asked him repeatly to keep my FMLA leave and medical requests private. I also refused to authorize the release based on my right to privacy and my FMLA rights. Can they still fire me?? Based on confirming two appointments when my doctor already provided an excuse that covers my absences and doctor visits during the entire time frame. These outrageous requests have been going on for over a month and they did not start until I revealed I was pregnant, after returning to work. Over three people in this office have been on medical leave including my manager and I'm sure they are not requesting additional requirements from them. How can I stop them from picking on me??

 

[cbg]

I am having trouble following your post. But here is some general information you might find helpful.

If you have more than one medical condition, a FMLA form or a doctor's note for condition A does not grant you anything with regards to condition B. FMLA is medical-condition specific. If your doctor has provided FMLA information for pregnancy, and you later break your leg, the FMLA information already on file is NOT valid.

Additionally, outside of FMLA, a doctor's note has no force in law. Outside of FMLA, a doctor cannot "excuse you from work" - not in the sense that the employer is obligated by law to follow the doctor's orders. A doctor's note, if FMLA is not involved, has exactly as much weight as the employer chooses to give it; no more and no less.

From what I'm understanding, you are under the impression that once your doctor has provided FMLA information for a single condition, the employer is required to take your word for everything and has no right to verify that you actually are out for legitimate reasons or that the absence is related to your on-file FMLA. Am I understanding you correctly?